I find that for various reasons I just don't want to explain the whole allergy situation to people. I just say vaguely that I have a lot of food allergies, some of which are severe, so it is safest if I bring my own food. But then I get lots of questions...like...can't you have a bit of salad? Or what about some fruit? Could you have that?

Anyways, I'm wondering whether anyone can relate. What are your strategies of dealing with allergy questions? How do you balance the need to speak up about allergies with the social prohibition about talking about health matters?

Last edited by Helen on Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Most people I met get to hear about my fish allergy... but most don't know about the other ones. I keep reminding people not to serve fish when I go over and it does get annoying for the hosts and I admit it... as I also ask it before entering.

But many times, there is a simple mistake made: the cesear salad!!!! I'm not a big handshaker nor a kisser (it's not well seen sometimes...), but I just become really paranoid when there is cesear salad as 99.9% of them have fish in there!!!! But how do I explain that to others... still have to figure that one out... There is not enough fish for me to react to the smell, but the panicked expression in my face is said to not be pleasant to be around (sorry!).

But, as vocal as I normally am about allergies... I just can't seem to be able to tell a new group I hang out with. They have known me here and there for about 2 years but have yet to find ourselves in a situation where food is involved, so I had no reason to actually tell them... but it's coming up real fast... it starts tomorrow as I'm supposed to go visit around dinner... I have found a couple of places in discussions where I have mentionned the word allergy, but have never really explained how much I am allergic... but one thing I am sure of: I won't walk in if I know there is more fish than just the salad!

In normal public situations, I normally only answer questions when they are asked and to the point where they get a weird look on their face ... but there are some exceptions to this saying...

I know it doesn't answer your question, but you thought I'd say "you're not alone"

I'm not a big handshaker nor a kisser (it's not well seen sometimes...)

Handshake, I don't really mind. Kisses, yeah, I'm with you.

But you know, I'm pass the point where I don't care what other people think. I have allergies, I do the things I do for my own safety, I don't owe anybody an explanation unless I'm asking them not to eat something around me. If they don't understand and think I'm a freak, so be it. I really don't give a damn. Of course, I don't have a huge circle of friends and my family is pretty small. You could say I'm a loner. Until I was about 14-15, I use to care a lot what other people think. Not anymore. And the older I get, the less I care.

My allergist has a great word for that "healthy paranoia". It's kept me alive so far, so he has nothing against it .

I'm meeting a lot of new people lately and people that I will not have that many "non-virtual" dealings with, so most times it's not worth going into the whole allergy thing... but I had a cross-contamination reaction the other day from a stupid hand shake!!!! I had a water bottle with me that I had to pull the cap to drink... well shaking hands and pulling the water bottle cap with the same hand was not that bright on my part!!!

Well, to update on my newest explanation of my allergies: Great news! As long as they know I'm coming, fish will not be permitted backstage at all!!!! Both the crew and the band will be controlled!!!! On Tuesday night they had the food on a different floor from where I met them so everything went well.

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